JBLM soldier's dog sold, given away while he was serving overseas

Brandon says his dog Oakley has a unique coat that makes him distinguishable. He's been trying to locate the dog since he returned home from Afghanistan last week. (Image courtesy Brandon Harker) | Zoom

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Oakley was a playful yellow lab, and big, but convinced all the same that he was a lap dog.

When Oakley's owner Brandon, a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier, returned home from an 8-month deployment to Afghanistan, he found that his good friend he had entrusted to take care of his dog had actually sold or given away the animal.

Looking back, Brandon realizes the dog was given away sometime during mid-deployment. He'd been asking his friend for pictures of Oakley, but was always told, 'Sure I'll send a photo, but I can't right now.'

Brandon discovered what happened the day he got back from Afghanistan. His friend simply said, 'Yeah, we don't have your dog anymore.'

The friend continues to say it's not clear where the dog ended up, but Brandon has reason to believe he was given away or sold via Craigslist.

He spent his next few days back at home calling every vet and animal shelter in a 30-mile radius. Oakley had been microchipped, but that chip hasn't shown up as passing through any nearby shelter.

Brandon has posted a Craigslist ad, pleading for Oakley's return. He doesn't know if he'll be deployed again overseas, but while he's home, he longs for the days that he and Oakley would spend together. On a typical Friday night, "I would probably have him back from the dog park," he said. "He'd be lying next to me."